Isaiah
40:27-31
The Creator of the ends of the earth . . . does
not faint or grow weary. God’s understanding is unsearchable. God gives power
to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
Yes, I know, more Isaiah. What can I say? He is a big-time
prophet!
What I love about this text is the clear understanding of
God and who God supports--the faint and powerless. Where do we get this understanding of God?
I know that many people like to suggest that God’s word came to
particular people, like prophets, as the inspired word of God—ideas about God
from God directly to us.
I’d like to reverse this messaging system. I suggest that as we open ourselves to
God’s Spirit, we try to describe our experiences. Those descriptions are
scriptures. A different person writes each scripture. A different community
experiences the divine uniquely. Scripture emerges from a different context, a
different set of pastoral concerns, and a different set of existential angst.
Val Webb says, “God is imaged metaphorically as Divine
Persuasion—call it conscience, heart, ground of being, Love—working within us
and the world toward richness and wholeness.”
Divine Persuasion is a lovely name for God—a new one for me.
Hymn writer, George Stuart, offers a hymn based on Webb’s
quotation. By the way, George lives in New South Wales, Australia, in the town of Toronto--I knew there was a reason I related to him!
Divine
Persuasion urges us, “Make life-enriching choices”
At
every time in every place hear silent sacred voices
As
thoughts divine direct our ways and with us earth rejoices
We move
to wholesomeness enhanced by life-enriching choices.
Divine
Intention prompts us to a way of love and justice
The
challenges enable us to bring about, through service,
the
reign of God, the prize of peace, and all that life can promise
We
move to wholesomeness in life by way of love and justice
Divine
Involvement permeates the essence of our nature
Provokes,
entices, sponsors us to forge a wondrous picture
of
human worth and dignity in every race and culture
We move
to wholesomeness and find the essence of our nature.
